We are here to support
your needs. If your questions are related to workouts, meets,
events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please
contact one of the coaches. For all questions related to
administrative, such as dues, safety, or policy issues, please
contact one of the board members.

Coaching Staff

Alex Reed

Head Coach

Head Coach Alex Reed has a passion for the water. He has lived and
breathed swimming his whole life. Alex has been involved in
the sport as a swimmer and a coach for over 20 years. In his stint
as the UPAC Head Coach starting in the Fall of 2015, he has grown
the club membership from 80 to over 120 swimmers, expanded the
club’s PNS Champs Team from 2 to over 40 swimmers, lead the
team to multiple PNS and Age Group Regional Championships Top 10
finishes, produced several PNS and Regional Champions, qualified
dozens of swimmers for Western Age Group Zones, Senior Sectionals,
USAS Futures, and USAS Junior National Championship Meets, and has
coached several swimmers to multiple National Top 10 times for
their Age Group. Alex was awarded PNS Age Group Coach of the Year
for 2017.

Before his time at UPAC he was the Head Coach of the North Coast
Swim Club in Astoria, OR and the Head Coach of the Boy’s and
Girl’s Seaside High School Swim Teams between 2013-2015. He
was also the Head Age Group Coach of the Wild West Aquatic Club in
Las Cruces, NM from 2008-2012 where he helped grow the team from 3
to over 80 swimmers, and helped produce multiple swimmers who went
on to qualify and swim at the USA Olympic Trials. He started his
career in coaching as an assistant coach with the Las Cruces
Aquatic Team (New Mexico) in 2006-2007, where the team won the New
Mexico Swimming State Championship.

As a swimmer for the Gig Harbor Peninsula
Swim Club, Alex was voted by his peers as a team captain, and
became a Senior Sectional finalist his Senior Year of High School.
Swimming for the Wild West Aquatic Club, he broke and held the New
Mexico State record in the Men’s Open 50m BR that stood
between the years of 2008-2011.

Alex believes in a disciplined, technique-first training in which
swimmers are challenged to maintain proper technique in stressful,
race-like conditions. First and foremost, he believes that racing
is fun and swimmers should swim and enjoy every race like it is
their last.

Alex lives in Tacoma with his beautiful
girlfriend Melissa, and their two children Roxy and Royce. He is an
avid sports fan and loves recreational competition at just about
everything!

Alex Nowjack

Head Age Group Coach

Coach Alex grew up on
Bainbridge Island and has been involved in the sport of swimming
for several years. During his high school years, Alex swam
competitively and played water polo, qualifying for the WIAA State
Championships multiple times. He swam collegiately at Pacific
Lutheran University helping the men’s team achieve a
second place finish at the Northwest Conference
Championships. After swimming collegiately, he turned to
coaching, where he worked with multiple high school and club
teams. Alex has a passion for the sport, and enjoys working
with kids of all ages to show them that swimming can be both fun and
challenging.

Elena Abbott

Assistant Coach

Coach Elena has extensive knowledge about competitive swimming and training. She is a former National Swimmer from Russia. Elena is an outstanding coach with immense patience and kindness. She creates a fast-paced, disciplined yet enjoyable environment to make her swimmers swim fast without burnout. Her love of coaching and of the sport of swimming transfers to the athletes she coaches and that shows itself in their improved times and longevity.

Emily J Murray

Assistant Coach

Coach Emily has been involved in competitive swimming since a young age as a member of UPAC from 2007-2014. Emily was a varsity swimmer for Curtis High School Swim Team. She has a great understanding of the sport of swimming and the ability to share the technical skills necessary to be competitive. Emily has a love of coaching and relates very well with her group of swimmers. In addition to her coaching position at UPAC, she was the Assistant Coach for a Special Olympics Swim Team from 2012-2014.